Michelin Want to Keep F1 Tyre War Alive

Formula One's plans to have just one tyre supplier from 2006 came under fire from Michelin on Friday.

The French company said in a statement at the Spanish Grand Prix that they were surprised by the planned course of action and had yet to be consulted officially by the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA).

"Michelin is of course very much in favour of the objective to reduce costs in F1, costs which have increased greatly in recent years," it said. "Faced with this objective, Michelin believes the single tyre manufacturer option is not a satisfactory solution.

"On the other hand, Michelin would like to propose a number of solutions to reduce costs while maintaining the spirit of competition."

Michelin Group chairman Edouard Michelin pointed out that the company had entered Formula One in 2001 after strong lobbying by teams.

"What's more, their requests were supported by the Formula One organisers to heighten the sporting interest," he said.

Japanese tyre maker Bridgestone, who supply champions Ferrari, had a monopoly for two years after Goodyear withdrew at the end of 1998.

The FIA has proposed a return to one supplier as part of a radical package to cut costs, increase excitement and allow new teams to enter the sport. FIA president Max Mosley said after a meeting of team principals in Monaco on Tuesday that there had been unanimous backing for the proposal.

He added that the governing body planned to invite the world's major tyre makers to tender for the right to be sole supplier to the Championship.

"The tyre has a completely disproportionate influence on the performance of the car," said Mosley of the current situation. "You put on a new set of tyres and it can be a second a lap quicker.

"The engine man or the chassis man or the aerodynamics man can work all winter and maybe find two tenths or three tenths but the tyres have a dramatic impact. In the worst case, you can have a World Championship that is completely a function of the tyres."

Teams spend huge amounts on tyre testing, racking up many more kilometres at deserted circuits in the winter than they do in racing.

Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya, venue of Sunday's Grand Prix, is one of the most used, with BAR alone completing more than 8,500 km at the 4.7 km track before the start of the season.

Sunday's race distance is 305 km.